Essay

Alternate Ending

In the book "The Pearl" by John Steinbeck, the way the story ended really wasn't right I thought. I think that after everything that happened that was terrible to them, something good should happen in the end, even though that doesn't follow the tragedy mode of literature. A tragedy story has to end in death or death symbolism, and that's how the book ended. I am changing the way it ended by writing an alternate ending.

As Kino and Juana walked down the dirt road into the woods, Kino suddenly stopped dead in his tracks. A very soft noise like a scuffling sound was coming from behind them. He turned and lashed out with the knife. But there was nothing there. Quickly Kino turned back around. He sensed the danger before it hit him. As fast as he could he grabbed Juana and Coyotito and jumped in a bush. Gunshots exploded around them. The family waited for minutes but it seemed like hours. None of them dared to breath, and even Coyotito didn't move a muscle. Then some voice they had never heard before said, " they are gone, we have won!"

Although they had gotten out of that bad luck, there was more to come. Kino then waited with his family, and waited some more. Then he slowly rose out of the thick bush, and said" They think we are dead, we are free." Juana picked up the baby, and the family walked away from the site unhurt toward the big capital. Kino's plan was simple: he would take his family into the village, sell his magnificent pearl, and they would move away from there, into a giant house. As these thoughts were going through Kino's head, he realized they were only a mile from the city. Excitement surged through him as he broke into a run. Juana called to him and he waited patiently.

When Juana reached him they set off into a quick walk. Within 10 minutes they reached the edge of the large capital. Kino's heart filled with joy. That feeling did not last very long. As quick as a flash they were surrounded by a large group of trackers. They all had their guns raised and pointed at Kino and Juana. They only wanted the great pearl. Then Kino and Juana would be left alone. Kino took out a rock and chucked it as far as he could. Fooled by the trick, they all turned and ran to where the rock had landed. With a look of dismay, they saw that this was not the great pearl but a gray colorless rock. In one motion they turned and raised there guns once more. There was nothing to shoot at.

Even though Kino and his family fled, he had made a decision. He took out the pearl and chucked it at the ground as hard as he possibly could. It shattered, and all that was left were some tiny pieces of shiny scrap. Breathing heavily, Kino let the song of evil flow out of his mind. He felt much greater now, and much more free. He and his family stopped, and turned around. Even Coyotito let out a sigh of relief. This pearl, the pearl of the world was now gone. And it could bring no harm to them ever again. So in a single file line, the family walked back to their village without even looking back at the scattered remains of what had brought them evil.